Martinez loses another ally to Gwen

The Martinezes in the fourth congressional district of Cebu province have lost another ally to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Yesterday, the long-time political ally of Martinez, Provincial Board member Joven Mondigo, was endorsed to Garcia's camp to be their mayoralty candidate next election by Medellin Mayor Manreza Lim and some barangay officials.

Mondigo, who finished his third term as mayor of Medellin town in 1998 with Lim as his vice mayor prior to his election to the Provincial Board, told reporters that he is not keen on running anymore when his term as board member ends next year, but the people of his town want him to run as mayor under Garcia's camp.

Mondigo also said he accepted the endorsement of Lim and barangay officials after he was no longer invited by Martinez to their meetings and other political activities.

"Gi-interpret na namo nga wa nami labot kay wa na mi ma-invited," he said even as he claimed he was one of those contributed to the Martinez's getting 90 percent of the votes in the fourth district during the last gubernatorial elections.

He suspects his cooperations with Garcia "for the sake of working together at the Capitol" was misinterpreted by Martinez.

Tentatively, councilor Alfonso Lim, the son of Mayor Lim, is groomed to be the running mate of Mondigo while Vice Mayor Ricardo Ramirez was reportedly being groomed to be the mayoralty candidate of the Martinez camp.

Garcia has welcomed the development.

"He is very welcome and I am very happy with his decision. Magkasama ra ang among direksiyon ug ang among mga tinguha parehas ra. Haum nga tinguha alang sa katawhan," Garcia said.

The officials of barangays Luy-a, Caputatan Norte and Maharuhay joined Lim in endorsing Mondigo to Garcia.

At the same time, they asked for road asphalting, drainages, culverts, and water system projects that are all covered by the priorities of the governor.

Garcia immediately directed the Provincial Engineering's Office to prepare the appropriate cost estimates including the asphalting of Curva-Daanbantayan road.

Last month the local officials of Bantayan town, formerly allies of the Martinezes, signified their support for Garcia for failure of the Martinezes to give projects to their town.

They said it was only during Garcia's administration that the long-sought water system was realized.

When former Rep. Celestino "Junie" Martinez Jr. lost his gubernatorial bid in 2004 to Garcia, only Mayor Maria Luisa Loot of Daanbantayan was not in his group of allies in the nine municipalities of the 4th district. - Gregg M. Rubio